Changing the target of a process or competition to by one side in order to gain advantage.
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I found an earlier example of the exact expression "nine days wonder" from a 1580 work by Friedrich Nausea, with the title "A bright burning beacon forewarning all wise virgins to…
"The American Flint", vol. 23, p. 55 (1937) contains the passage: "Bill Earlhar made a call at the plant the other day. I presume he wanted to look us over, to see if any one of…
I've found a slightly earlier cite than the commonly-given one, but it still puts it as an American phrase: "Ps and Qs" by C. & E.B. Gil, published by Bowles & Dearborn in 1828,…
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From the Phrase Finder Digest
- The Ashes Urn Takes Its Name From A Funeral Service, Not A Cricket Pitch
Cricket's oldest rivalry has given English two phrases that behave very differently under scrutiny. One is a genuine pitch condition with a real Victorian source; the other borrows its name from a burial service, not the game itself.
19 August 2026
- The Loud Word Behind Boomtown, Baby Boomers And The Final Frontier
Boomtown is trending again, and the word's history is a small lesson in how a sound became a synonym for sudden wealth. The same 'boom' turns up in baby boomers, in Star Trek's frontier, and in the old saying about muck and brass.
12 August 2026
Based on Google Books usage over the last ~25 years. Refreshes each build.
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- MeaningBrighton pierCockney rhyming slang for "queer", used to mean gay.
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- MeaningIt's all gone Pete TongA piece of modern Cockney rhyming slang meaning that something has gone wrong.
- MeaningSide boobThe exposed outer edge of a woman's breast, visible at the side of a garment such as a low-cut or backless top.
- MeaningDaily grindThe dull, monotonous routine of work or everyday life that a person has to get through day after day.
- MeaningGeorge RaftRhyming slang for a draught of air, taking its name from the American film actor George Raft.
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Phrases.org.uk has been documenting the meaning and origin of phrases, sayings and idioms since 1997. Every entry is researched and written by Gary Martin, with citations to the earliest printed use we can find.
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